is a renowned Japanese artist who used art to escape her mental illness. She suffers from depersonalizations disorder, a disease that alters a person’s sense of reality. Those suffering from the illness have periods where they feel that their body and the world is not real, they are uncertain of who they are, and have memory loss. For the last 40 years, she has lived in a mental hospital. She continues to make art, as well as writes short stories and poetry to mitigate suicidal thoughts.
Art has different meanings in peoples’ lives. It can be just a hobby or can be used for therapy. But for some, art is a lifeline.
I came across an endearing video on my Facebook feed today and I had to share.